Pump apparatus for semiconductor processing

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a pump apparatus for use in semiconductor processing. The apparatus may include a single pump configured to transition a substance flow from about molecular pressure to about atmospheric pressure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a pump apparatus for use in semiconductorprocessing. The apparatus may include a single pump configured totransition a substance flow from about molecular pressure to aboutatmospheric pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Semiconductor wafers are used to form a number of different types ofdevices. For example, wafers, or portions of wafers, may be used to formmemory devices, microprocessor unit devices, or combinations of the twodevices. The devices may be very small, (e.g., on the order of only onemicron), and thus these devices are often manufactured in large batches.In some instances, a single wafer may have hundreds of devicesmanufactured on it.

In order to manufacture a device on a wafer, a number of discrete stepsare performed. Although the number of steps may vary greatly dependingon the type and complexity of the device, a typical manufacturingprocess may include anywhere between 100 and 300 individual stepsbetween the initial step of providing an initial substrate and thefinals step of extracting individual devices from the wafer andinstalling them in personal computers, telephones, mobile phones, orother electronic equipment.

Some of the steps in semiconductor wafer processing may include etchingaway selected material, depositing selected materials, and performingselective ion implantation in the silicon wafer. Many of these steps areperformed by tools especially designed for the particular step, butseveral steps may also be performed by a single tool. Because thesesteps may be performed in a variety of locations, the wafer may often bemoved. For example, the wafer may be placed in and taken out of ionimplanter tools, transported by cassettes, placed in and taken out ofdeposition tools, and placed in and taken out of etch tools, etc.

As mentioned above, etching is one form of processing that may beperformed on a wafer. The wafer may be etched a number of differenttimes at a number of different levels for a number of different reasons.For example, one type of etching step includes placing a photoresisttype material over an area of the wafer. The photoresist on the wafermay be then be exposed to a light source with a specific wavelength anda specific pattern. The exposure of the photoresist to the light sourcemay alter the chemical composition of the exposed area such that thephotoresist either “hardens” so that when a chemical is applied, the“hardened”photoresist remains, or “softens” so that when a chemical isapplied, the “softened”photoresist is removed. In either case, a desiredphotoresist pattern remains on the wafer. Using this remainingphotoresist as a mask, chemical substances may be applied to the waferso as to etch away or remove exposed portions of the wafer. Thus, adesired pattern may be “etched” into the silicon wafer.

The devices and/or patterns that are etched into the wafer often havedimensions that are on the order of one micron. Because the dimensionsbeing dealt with are so small, etching processes are especiallysusceptible to contaminants. For example, foreign molecules may becomelodged in the channels etched into the wafers, and the existence of suchflaws may prevent a device or portions of the device from workingproperly. Accordingly, in order to minimize these flaws, much attentionis paid to the method by which the etching is performed, specifically byworking to minimize the number of contaminants in the system.

The most common method of controlling the etching is by etching in avacuum chamber using a plasma. The vacuum chamber is, by definition,kept at a low pressure (e.g., molecular pressure), for example, betweenpressures of about 10⁻³ millibar and about 10⁻¹ millibar. The plasmaused to etch the wafers may include the addition of any number ofsubstances, such as fluorocarbons or perflourocarbons, which within theplasma may be broken up into smaller portions, such as fluorine andfluorine radicals. These smaller portions react with the exposedportions of the wafer and “etch away” that portion of the wafer throughthe formation of volatile reactant by-products. Other substances may beused depending on the substrate to be etched. Performing this procedureunder vacuum substantially prevents contaminants from entering thesystem (as the chemicals present are normally only those specificallyintroduced into the system) and moderates the reaction rate as themolecular density is lower.

In a number of current etching procedures, a large amount of reactantsare conveyed past the wafer at high speeds, for example, on the order ofthousands of liters per second. This runs contrary to the desire tominimize the number of contaminants by keeping the pressure in thevacuum chamber low. What results is a desire to pass etching substancesthrough the vacuum chamber at high speeds, but low pressures, and thusspecialized pumps are often desired.

Currently, there are two discrete, completely separate, unintegratedpumps used in conjunction with each other to provide a high flow rate ofetching substances at low pressures. The pumps have, among things,separate housings, separate controllers, separate electricalconnections, and separate fluid connections, and are located longdistances away from one another in different rooms of a wafer processingfacility.

In some current configurations, an inlet of a first pump is bolted tothe bottom of the vacuum chamber and receives the substances from thevacuum chamber that are flowing at the low pressures. The first pumpthen gradually increases the pressure of the substance flow from themolecular level (at the inlet) to about the transition level (at theoutlet). The substance flow is then sent through a tube or pipe to asecond pump. The second pump is typically located in another room of thewafer processing facility (e.g., a basement) for several reasons, mostprominent of which are its size, the amount of noise it generates, andits maintenance. The flow path (e.g., tube) connecting the pumps istypically between 5 and 15 meters in length, with a minimum length of 3meters and a maximum length of 20 meters. The second pump graduallyincreases the pressure of the substance flow from about the transitionlevel (at the inlet) to about atmospheric pressure (at the outlet). Thesecond pump then exhausts the substance flow.

There are some drawbacks associated with the current dual pumparrangement. For example, having the second pump in a room separate fromthe first pump is often an inefficient use of space. In addition, thereare efficiency losses associated with flowing the substances through along tube connecting the pumps. Accordingly, alternative arrangementsand/or configurations of multiple pumps are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, certain aspects and embodiments of theinvention will become evident. It should be understood that theinvention, in its broadest sense, could be practiced without having oneor more features of these aspects and embodiments. It should also beunderstood that these aspects and embodiments are merely exemplary.

One aspect, as embodied and broadly described herein, may relate to anapparatus for use in semiconductor processing.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention may include an apparatus foruse in semiconductor processing. The apparatus may include a single pumpconfigured to transition a substance flow having an input pressure lessthan or equal to about 10⁻¹ millibar to an output pressure greater thanor equal to about 100 millibar.

Various embodiments of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing aspects: the single pump may be configured to transition asubstance flow having an input pressure less than or equal to about 10⁻³millibar to an output pressure greater than or equal to about 100millibar; the single pump may be configured to transition the substanceflow to an output pressure greater than or equal to about 1 bar; thesingle pump may include no more than a single rotatable shaft; thesingle shaft may consist essentially of a single vertical axis; thesingle shaft may be continuous; a semiconductor processing toolassociated with the single pump; a flow rate of the substance flow mayrange from about 1,000 liters per second to about 10,000 liters persecond; the flow rate of the substance flow may range from about 1,600liters per second to about 3,000 liters per second; the single pump mayinclude at least one ball bearing; at least one ball bearing may beassociated with a portion of the single pump that exhausts substanceflow having an output pressure greater than or equal to about 100millibar; the single pump may include at least one magnetic bearing; theat least one magnetic bearing may be associated with a portion of thesingle pump that receives substance flow having an input pressure lessthan or equal to about 10⁻² millibar; the single pump may include nomore than one motor; the single pump may include no more than onebearing suspension unit; the single pump may include at least onemagnetic bearing; the at least one ball bearing may be associated with aportion of the single pump that exhausts the substance flow having anoutput pressure greater than or equal to about 100 millibar; and the atleast one magnetic bearing may be associated with a portion of thesingle pump that receives substance flow having an input pressure lessthan or equal to about 10⁻² millibar.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention may include an apparatusfor use in semiconductor processing. The apparatus may include a singlepump configured to transition a substance flow from about molecularpressure to about atmospheric pressure.

A further exemplary embodiment of the invention may include an apparatusfor use in semiconductor processing. The apparatus may include a singlepump configured to transition a substance from turbomolecular flow toatmospheric flow.

Aside from the structural relationships discussed above, the inventioncould include a number of other forms such as those described hereafter.It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and thefollowing description are exemplary only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate several embodimentsof the invention and, together with the description, serve to explainsome principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of an embodiment of an apparatus inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic view of another embodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1B;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a further embodiment of the apparatusdisposed in a single room of a semiconductor processing facility;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of still another embodiment of the apparatusassociated with a semiconductor processing tool;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a portion of a still further embodiment ofthe apparatus;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views of portions of yet anotherembodiment of the apparatus;

FIGS. 8C and 8D are schematic views of the portions of FIGS. 8A and 8B;and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a yet further embodiment of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to some possible embodiments of theinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIGS. 1-9 depict exemplary embodiments of an apparatus for use insemiconductor processing. The apparatus may include a pump 1 having oneor more of each of a turbomolecular stage 100, a drag stage 200, and adry stage 300. For example, pump 1 may include all three ofturbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage 300. In anotherexample, pump 1 may include only one of turbomolecular stage 100, dragstage 200, and dry stage 300. In a further example, as shown in FIG. 9,pump 1 may include a turbomolecular stage 100, a plurality of dragstages 200, and a dry stage 300. In some examples, pump 1 may beconfigured to receive a substance flow at about molecular pressure, forexample, having a pressure of about 5×10⁻³ millibar, at a flow rateranging from about 1600 liters per second to about 2000 liters persecond, and exhaust the substance flow at about atmospheric pressure.

Also or alternatively, pump 1 may be configured to transition asubstance flow having an input pressure less than or equal to about 10⁻²millibar (e.g., about 10⁻³ millibar) to an output pressure greater thanor equal to about 100 millibar (e.g., about 1 bar ), and/or may beconfigured to accommodate a flow rate of the substance flow that rangesfrom about 1,000 liters per second (e.g., about 1,600 liters per second)to about 10,000 liters per second (e.g., about 3,000 liters per second).

Turbomolecular stage 100 may be a stage configured to provideturbomolecular flow of a substance at about molecular pressure such thatmolecules of the substance are more likely to collide with at least oneinterior wall 101 (FIG. 4) of turbomolecular stage 100 rather than intoother substance molecules. Turbomolecular stage 100 may have an inlet102 configured to receive a flow of the substance at a first pressure(e.g., from a semiconductor processing chamber) and an outlet 103 toexpel the substance flow at a second pressure, for example, to one ormore of drag stage 200, dry stage 300, or the atmosphere. As shown inFIG. 1, turbomolecular stage 100 may include blades 104 configured torotate together to transition substance flow from an input pressure ofabout 10⁻³ millibar to about 10⁻¹ millibar, for example, when the inputflow passing through inlet 102 is from an etching tool. Turbomolecularstage 100 may also or alternatively include blades 104 configured torotate together to transition substance flow at lower input pressures,for example, a pressure as low as about 10⁻⁸ millibar when the inputflow passing through inlet 102 is from a tool or other structureassociated with an application other than etching, for example, physicalvapor deposition (“PVD”). Turbomolecular stage 100 may be configured totransition substance flow to a second pressure of about 1 millibar toabout 10 millibar. In some embodiments, the second pressure may be about100 millibar to about 1 bar.

Blades 104 may be disposed in turbomolecular stage 100 using bearings.The bearings may be mechanical bearings, such as ball bearings or acentral shaft, or may be magnetic bearings configured to magneticallylevitate blades 104 within turbomolecular stage 100. In someembodiments, turbomolecular stage 100 may have multiple types ofbearings. For example, blades 104 closer to inlet 102 may be suspendedby magnetic bearings (e.g., when the flow rate of substance flow throughthe inlet ranges from about 2000 liters per second to about 300 litersper second), while blades 104 closer to outlet 103 may be suspended bymechanical bearings. Magnetic bearings may be desirable at higher speedsof substance flow because they may actively reduce vibrations.

In alternate examples shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, blades 104 may be disposedon a shaft 106. A top portion of shaft 106 closer to inlet 102 may besuspended by magnetic bearings, and a bottom portion of shaft 106 closerto outlet 103 may be suspended by mechanical bearings. In variousembodiments, however, shaft 106 may be suspended by any number ofbearings of any type and in any combination (e.g., two mechanicalbearings or two magnetic bearings).

Adjacent blades 104 may be spaced from one another by an interveningstator 105. Stators 105 may remain substantially stationary during asubstance pumping process and may be fixed to the inner wall 101 thatsurrounds the blades 104.

The molecules entering the turbomolecular stage 100 may have asubstantially random motion. These molecules may collide with a rotatingblade 104 and pick up the blade's 104 velocity such that upon leavingeach blade 104, the molecule has a velocity substantially the same asthat of blade 104 as well as having an intrinsic thermal velocitysubstantially similar to that of the blade 104. Thus, compression may begenerated by a combination of blades 104 providing a higher transmissionprobability downwards rather than upwards due to the angle of blades 104and the relative blade velocity. Stationary stator 105 also may beconfigured such that it generates compression through a combination ofthe relative gas velocity and the stator 105 providing a highertransmission probability downwards as compared to upwards due to theangle of the stator blade. Upward and downwards may refer to movement ofgas relative to the outlet 103 (e.g., exhaust) of the pump. For example,downwards may refer to movement of gas towards the exhaust of the pump(e.g., moving toward a higher pressure area and/or being compressed),while upwards may refer to movement of gas away from the exhaust of thepump (e.g., moving toward a lower pressure area and/or being expanded).Stator 105 may have a relative velocity from the reference of themolecule such that equal pumping may be provided by stator 105 and blade104.

One or more of blades 104, intervening stators 105, and/or otherportions of the turbomolecular stage 100 may be configured toefficiently move substances at low pressures. The turbomolecular stage100 may typically operate with inlet pressures ranging from about 10⁻¹millibar to about 10⁻⁸ millibar (10⁻⁷ millibar) and corresponding outletpressures from about 0.1 millibar to about 1 millibar or less,depending, for example, on flow and the size of the pump downstream.

Additional details concerning exemplary configurations of aturbomolecular stage 100 with blades 104 and stators 105, and itsvarious components, are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,109,864 and6,778,969, which are both incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

Pump 1 may include a drag stage 200, an example of which is shown inFIG. 2. Drag stage 200 may have an inlet 204 configured to receive aflow of the substance at a first pressure (e.g., from a semiconductorprocessing chamber or an outlet 103 of turbomolecular stage 100) and anoutlet 205 to expel the substance flow at a second pressure, forexample, to one or more of turbomolecular stage 100, dry stage 300, orthe atmosphere. The second pressure may depend on the pressure to whichpump 1 may ultimately exhaust. For example, in some embodiments, pump 1may not exhaust to atmospheric pressure, thus only turbomolecular stage100 and drag stage 200 may be used.

Drag stage 200 may include two or more co-axial hollow cylinders 201,202. Each of cylinders 201, 202 may be composed of multiple cylindricalportions, for example, two or more cylindrical portions adjacent to eachother (e.g., one cylindrical portion may be closer to inlet 204, whileanother cylindrical portion may be closer to outlet 205, with bothcylindrical portions having substantially the same dimensions and/orconfigurations). Such cylindrical portions may be desirable, forexample, so as to operate different parts of drag stage 200 at differentefficiencies depending on pressure.

One or more of the cylinders 201, 202 may have a helical thread 203provided on its surface facing the other cylinder 201, 202. For example,FIG. 2 schematically shows a thread 203 on an inner surface of outercylinder 201. In operation, one or more of the cylinders 201, 202 mayrotate at relatively high speeds, for example, up to abouttwenty-thousand revolutions-per-minute or more. At low pressures,molecules may strike the surface of the rotating helical thread 203,giving the molecules a velocity component and tending to cause themolecules to have the same direction of motion as the surface againstwhich they strike. The molecules may be urged through drag stage 200 inthis manner and exit drag stage 200 at a higher pressure than that atwhich they entered. Helical thread 203 may have a relatively closeclearance with cylinder 202, for example, between about 0.1 mm and about0.5 mm depending on the pressure. Such a close clearance may provide agreater probability of molecules moving towards the outlet of the pumpthan towards the inlet.

Drag stage 200 may typically operate with inlet pressures ranging fromabout 10⁻¹ millibar to about 10⁻⁷ millibar (e.g., about 10⁻⁶ millibar)and corresponding outlet pressures of from about 10 millibar to about 1millibar or less, for example, depending on flow and the size of thepump downstream. At least some of the cylinders 201, 202, helical thread203, and/or other parts of the drag stage 200 (e.g., those disposedcloser to outlet 205) may be configured to efficiently move substancesat higher pressure. Further details regarding exemplary drag stages andtheir various components can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,395, whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Drag stage 200 may have an alternate configuration, for example, asshown in FIG. 9. Drag stage 200 may have several stationary cylinders201 having a helical thread 203 and several rotating cylinders 202.Rotating cylinders 202 may be connected, may rotate at substantially thesame rotational speed, and/or may be disposed on the same shaft 106 asblades 104. Each stationary cylinder 201 and surface of rotatingcylinder 202 facing its respective stationary cylinder may comprise aseparate drag stage 200. Some drag stages 200 may include a surface of astationary cylinder 201 having a helical thread 203 facing radiallyoutward and also facing a substantially flat radially inward surface ofa rotating cylinder 202. Some drag stages 200 may have the oppositeconfiguration. Each stationary cylinder 201 may have helical threads 203on its radially outward surface and/or its radially inward surface. Eachrotating cylinder 202 may face a surface of a stationary cylinder 201having helical threads 203 on its radially outward surface and/or itsradially inward surface.

Each drag stage 200 may be in flow communication with other drag stages200. Each drag stage 200 may be disposed radially inward or outward fromother drag stages 200. Each drag stage 200 may have a differentconfiguration. For example, the helical threads 203 in each drag stage200 may have a different length than helical threads 203 in other dragstages 200. Drag stages 200 may be disposed radially outward fromturbomolecular stage 100. Each drag stage 200 may be configured toincrease a pressure of the substance while the substance flows throughthe drag stage 200, and then exhaust the substance to a more radiallyouter drag stage 200 until the substance is exhausted by the final dragstage 200 to the dry stage 300, for example, at about atmosphericpressure or atmospheric flow.

Pump 1 may include a dry stage 300 as show in FIG. 3. Dry stage 300 maybe a pump configured to provide transition flow and/or viscous flow ofthe substance such that molecules of the substance are more likely tocollide with each other rather than at least one interior wall 305 ofthe pump. Dry stage 300 may have an inlet 301 that receives a substanceflow at a first pressure (e.g., from an outlet of turbomolecular stage100 or drag stage 200) and an outlet 302 that expels the substance flowat a second pressure (e.g., about atmospheric pressure). One exemplarytype of dry pump 300, an example of which is shown in FIG. 3, mayinclude rotating blades 303, typically having a different geometry thanthose of a turbomolecular pump, such that they are suitable foroperating at higher pressures with intervening stators 304. The blades303 and stators 304 may be configured to transition substance flow froman input pressure of about 1 millibar to about 10 millibar or less(e.g., a pressure as low as about 0.1 millibar) to about 100 millibar toabout 1 bar (e.g., atmospheric pressure). Blades 303 may be disposed indry stage 300 using bearings (e.g., one or more of a ball bearing, acylinder shaft, and a magnetic bearing). Stators 304 may be fixed to acylindrical housing that surrounds the blades 303. Blades 303 andstators 304 may operate substantially similar to the blades 103 andstators 104 described above with respect to turbomolecular stage 100, inthat dry stage 300 may cause an increase in the pressure of thesubstance passing into dry stage 300 via the inlet 301 before thesubstance exits dry stage 300 via outlet 302. Examples of dry stages andtheir various components are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,244,841,6,705,830, 6,709,226, 6,755,611 B1, which are all incorporated herein byreference in their entirety. Other suitable examples of dry stages aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,129,534, 6,200,116, 6,379,135, and6,672,855, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Dry stage 300 may have an alternate configuration, for example, as shownin FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, and 9. In the alternate configuration, drystage 300 may include a regenerative rotor 350 and a regenerative stator370.

As shown in FIGS. 8A, regenerative rotor 350 may include a plurality ofsubstantially circular protrusions 351 extending from a surface ofregenerative rotor 350. Protrusions 351 may have a plurality of blades352 extending therefrom. A cross-section of protrusion 351 and blade 352is shown in FIG. 8D.

As shown in FIG. 8B, regenerative stator 370 may include a plurality ofprotrusions 371 defining a plurality of channels 372 therebetween.Adjacent channels 372 may be connected via intervening channels 373. Across-section of protrusion 371 and channel 372 is shown in FIG. 8D.Each channel 372 may include a first portion 372 a and a second portion372 b. First portion 372 a may be slightly wider than a width ofprotrusion 351, for example, to prevent the flow of a substancetherebetween. Thus, in operation, any substance may be substantiallycontained in second portion 372 b. Second portion 372 b may have anysuitable cross-sectional shape to accommodate substance flow, forexample, a curved or oval-like shape.

As shown in FIGS. 8C and 9, each blade 352 may be placed in one ofchannels 372 such that protrusion 351 is disposed in first portion 372a, and that blade 352 extends into second portion 372. Each set ofblades 352 and channels 372 may include a corresponding inlet 391 andoutlet 392 which may or may not be the same as intervening channels 373.

In operation, blade 352 may rotate relative to channel 372. A substancemay enter second portion 372 b of channel 372 via inlet 391. Blade 352may then cause the substance to flow in the same direction as therotation of blade 352, for example, in a substantially oval-like and/orspiral-like pattern as a consequence of the gas gaining momentum andmoving in a tangential direction to the rotating blade 352 but beingconstrained by the channel 372. The substance may then exit secondportion 372 b of channel 372 via outlet 392. The substance may then besent to another blade 352 and channel 372 combination, or may beexhausted from pump 1.

As shown in FIG. 9, dry stage 300 may have a plurality of blade 352 andchannel 372 combinations. Each combination of blades 352 and channels372 may be disposed radially inward and/or outward from othercombinations of blades 352 and channels 372. Rotor 350 may be disposedon the same shaft 106 as blades 104 and cylinders 202. Each combinationof blades 352 and channels 372 may exhaust the substance from an outercombination to a combination disposed radially inward. The inner-mostcombination may exhaust the substance out of the pump 1, for example, tothe atmosphere.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, one or more of turbomolecular stage 100,drag stage 200, and dry stage 300 are disposed in a single housing 10.If pump 1 includes more than one of turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage200, and dry stage 300, the boundary between the stages may not beexternally discernable (i.e., a person viewing the exterior of theapparatus with only their naked eye would not be able to visualize theboundary between turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage300). The pump may have a single driving motor to rotate the sets ofblades, cylinders, or other components of turbomolecular stage 100, dragstage 200, and dry stage 300. In some embodiments, pump 1 may have oneor more motors configured to drive one or more components of one or moreof turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and/or dry stage 300.

One or more of turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage300 may be connected to each other without substantially havingtransition portions. For example, outlet 103 of turbomolecular stage 100may be substantially the same as inlet 204 of drag stage 200. In anotherexample, outlet 205 of draft stage 200 may be substantially the same asinlet 301 of dry stage 300. In a further example, outlet 103 ofturbomolecular stage 100 may be substantially the same as inlet 301 ofdry stage 300.

One or more of turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage300 of pump 1 may be disposed in a single room 3 of a semiconductorprocessing facility, for example, as shown in FIG. 5. One advantage ofpump 1 may be that it is possibly more compact than conventional pumps,providing savings with regards to space, and also reducing the number ofpumps and/or components for a particular process, for example, asemiconductor manufacturing process.

As shown in the example of FIG. 6, one or more of turbomolecular stage100, drag stage 200, and dry stage 300 of pump 1 may have a commoncontroller 90 that controls each of one or more of turbomolecular stage100, drag stage 200, and dry stage 300. Common controller 90 may beconnected to one or more of turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200,and dry stage 300 by a controller connection 91. One or more ofturbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage 300 may beassociated with a semiconductor processing tool 2.

In some examples, rather than having a wired connection, a wireless linkmay provide communication between common controller 90 and one or moreof turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage 300.

One or more of turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage300 of pump 1 may share common connections. For example, one or more ofturbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and dry stage 300 may share acommon power connection. Power connection may provide electrical powerto one or more of turbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and drystage 300 so as to power one or more motors associated withturbomolecular stage 100, drag stage 200, and/or dry stage 300. Thisconnection may also be fed through the remote controller 90 to conditionpower before directing it to one or more of turbomolecular stage 100,drag stage 200, and dry stage 300 of pump 1. In various embodiments,pump 1 may include any suitable connections, for example, a nitrogenconnection, a water connection, and/or a dry air connection.

The invention may have several advantages. For example, the inventionmay operate at a greater efficiency than multiple pumps configured totransition the substance flow at the specified ranges. In anotherexample, conductance losses present during the use of multiple pumps maybe minimized and/or substantially eliminated, for example, due to areduction in the length of the substance flow paths. In another example,the invention may take up less space than multiple pumps and requireless energy, important advantages in an industry where space and powerconsumption is at a premium. In a further example, because the exhaustfrom the apparatus may be greater than or equal to about 100 millibar,double containment of the apparatus may not be necessary as anysub-atmospheric leaks may be inwards.

The invention may overcome several problems. For example, each pump foreach stage in a conventional machine may be delivered separately. Whendelivered, the pressure in the chambers of each of these pumps may be atatmospheric pressure. To operate the chamber, the pressure in eachchamber may be lowered to the proper operating pressure. While oneoption is to initially run the rotor in each chamber using a largemotor, such an option is undesirable as it may overheat the rotor.Another option is to at least initially use another pump (e.g., a lockload pump) to reduce the pressure of the chamber. Once the inletpressure in the chamber of each pump is below about 100 millibars (e.g.,below about 10 millibars), the pump may operate unassisted. Byintegrating the various stages of the pump into a single pump, it mayeliminate the need for the additional pump, for example, if the pumpalready exhausts to atmospheric pressure, allowing the pump to start andoperate completely unassisted. In the alternative, if the pump exhauststo a pressure less than atmospheric pressure, only one additional pumpmay be necessary, as opposed to one pump for each stage of aconventional machine.

In another example, discrepancies in size between a conventionalturbomolecular pump, a conventional drag pump, and a conventional drypump prevented their combination into a single pump. For example, therewere large differences in the dimensions of shafts in the conventionalturbomolecular pump, conventional drag pump, and conventional dry pump.Advances made in the dry pump, for example, in the dry stage shown inFIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D, have resulted in a more compact dry stage thatmay be configured to be more readily combined with a turbomolecularstage and/or drag stage.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the structure describedherein. This, it should be understood that the invention is not limitedto the subject matter discussed in the specification and shown in thedrawings. Rather, the present invention is intended to includemodifications and variations.

1. An apparatus for use in semiconductor processing, comprising: asingle pump configured to transition a substance flow having an inputpressure less than or equal to about 10⁻¹ millibar to an output pressuregreater than or equal to about 100 millibar.
 2. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the single pump is configured to transition a substance flowhaving an input pressure less than or equal to about 10⁻³ millibar to anoutput pressure greater than or equal to about 100 millibar.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the single pump is configured totransition the substance flow to an output pressure greater than orequal to about 1 bar.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the singlepump includes no more than a single rotatable shaft.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the single shaft consists essentially of a singlevertical axis.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the single shaft iscontinuous.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising asemiconductor processing tool associated with the single pump.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein a flow rate of the substance flow rangesfrom about 1,000 liters per second to about 10,000 liters per second. 9.The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the flow rate of the substance flowranges from about 1,600 liters per second to about 3,000 liters persecond.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single pump includesat least one ball bearing.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein atleast one ball bearing is associated with a portion of the single pumpthat exhausts substance flow having an output pressure greater than orequal to about 100 millibar.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thesingle pump includes at least one magnetic bearing.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein the at least one magnetic bearing is associated with aportion of the single pump that receives substance flow having an inputpressure less than or equal to about 10⁻² millibar.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the single pump includes no more than one motor. 15.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the single pump includes no more thanone bearing suspension unit.
 16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein thesingle pump includes at least one magnetic bearing.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein the at least one ball bearing is associated with aportion of the single pump that exhausts the substance flow having anoutput pressure greater than or equal to about 100 millibar.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one magnetic bearing isassociated with a portion of the single pump that receives substanceflow having an input pressure less than or equal to about 10⁻² millibar.19. An apparatus for use in semiconductor processing, comprising: asingle pump configured to transition a substance flow from aboutmolecular pressure to about atmospheric pressure.
 20. An apparatus foruse in semiconductor processing, comprising: a single pump configured totransition a substance from turbomolecular flow to atmospheric flow.